Coll 6/4(2) 'Asir: Relations between Saudi Arabia and the Yemen.' [‎351v] (709/796)

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intention here would appear to be to exclude the Idrisi from any consideration
in respect of a territory which had previously been an essentially Idrisi sphere.
6. The remaining three telegrams were somewhat more complicated. Ibn
Saud set forth at length his claims in respect of the Beni Yam, with whom manyr^T
of the tribes of Nejd were intimately related—which could not be said of the
Yemen’s relations with that congeries of tribes. A division of the various
sections in accordance with their individual affiliations was proposed. The treaty
was repeatedly invoked with reference to the Najran, Ibn Saud maintaining that
the agreement concluded between the Imam and the Saudi delegates, Ibn Duleym
and Turki-al-Mahdi, provided for a division of that territory, from Weileh to
the south to go to the Yemen and from Weileh to the north to Saudi Arabia.
This was the agreement to which the Imam Yahya had set his hand, yet which
had so far only been honoured in the breach.
7. The protection and assistance offered by the Imam to the Idrisi drew
bitter words from the King. Ibn Saud had allowed the Idrisi to remain with
Imam Yahya, upon the conclusion of the treaty, for two reasons : Firstly, because
of his (Ibn Saud’s) affection for his brother the Imam, and, secondly, because
the Imam had given a guarantee for the good conduct of the Idrisi whilst within
his territories. This guarantee, also, had not been observed, for the Imam must
be only too well aware of the activities of the Idrisi in fomenting discontent along
the frontier. The Idrisi was, after all, a very paltry fellow. Had not he been
driven out of Jizan, horse, foot and artillery, at the time of the Asir revolt, by
a mere 300 Saudi soldiers! He was, moreover, a liar and cheat, and Ibn Saud
would tolerate no more of his mischief-making, but would ruthlessly punish
should he (the Idrisi) pursue his present tactics. It was suggested, therefore,
that the Idrisi should be expelled from the Yemen before further complications
occurred and the relations between the two rulers were involved in the trouble.
At any rate, Ibn Saud added a little significantly, all the necessary measures had
been taken to deal with the Idrisi and those who were assisting him.
8. This summary is necessarily bald and somewhat simplihed. I may
perhaps record that I became increasingly conscious of the determination with
which Ibn Saud was putting forward his demands. The telegrams, it seemed to
me, contained noticeably less than the usual seasoning of pious utterances with
which he is wont to lard his communications. He seemed to mean business. The
telegrams were sent some ten days ago and so far no reply has been received from
Sana. The delay in communicating them' to me was explained by the absence
of Amir Feisal recently, with his family, in Khurma, a village some little distance
east of Taif, and Sheikh Abdullah Suleiman’s own absence for a time in Nejd
(where, however, it may be mentioned, he had not seen the King).
9. I questioned Sheikh Abdullah Suleiman concerning the treaty between
Saudi Arabia and the Yemen in regard to the frontier in the Najran area. He
admitted that .he was unable to tell me whether the agreement was a written one
or whether it was merely a verbal understanding. He informed me that a number
of the leading tribal personages of the Beni Yam had recentlv been to Rivadh for
a conference with the King.
10. It may be perhaps inferred from the stand now taken by Ibn Saud that
his attitude is stiffening slightly. Feeling reassured as to the security of his
noi them and other frontiers and enriched by the recent arrival of a handsome
sum in ready cash, which he no doubt regards as the earnest of more to come,
King Ibn Saud may now conceivably feel more able to take a strong line.
11. Copies of this despatch are being sent to His Majesty’s Ambassadors
at Rome and Bagdad, His Majesty’s High Commissioner for Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan , the
senior naval officer in the Red Sea sloops, and to the Acting Chief Commissioner
at Aden.
I have, &c.
A. S. CALVERT.